Electromechanical resonator



y 3, 1956 l. MARON ET AL 2753,529

ELECTROMECHANICAL RESONATOR Filed July 28, 1955 INVENTORS 1/? v/A/6 MA/wm i/Vfl 15575? M GA/CA/MA/V mx//Wm A TrMA EY ELECTROMECHANICAL RESONATOR Irving Maron, Haddonfield, and Lester M. Glickman, Camden, N. J., assignors to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 28, 1955, Serial No. 524,883

7 Claims. (Cl. 333-71) The invention relates to electromechanical resonators, and particularly to magnetostrictive resonators for use in low frequency electromechanical filters.

Conventional low frequency electromechanical filters are of relatively large physical size. For example, a conventional electromechanical filter made of nickel and designed to operate .in the torsional mode and to have a midband resonant frequency of 10 kilocycles would be approximately 6 inches long. A similar filter having a midband frequency of 1 kilocycle would be approximately 60 inches long.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved and compact electromechanical resonator for use at relatively low frequencies.

In accordance with the invention, an electromechanical resonator is comprised of a cylindrical resonator element of length L and diameter d2 to which a cylindrical terminating element of length L/2 and diameter d1 is fastened at each end. The elements have dimensions that satisfy the relation:

J -Wm T where f is the mid-bend frequency of the resonator, v is the velocity of propagation in the resonator for the type of vibration excited,

for a resonator vibrating in the torsional mode, and

for a resonator vibrating in the longitudinal mode. Either mode of vibration may be excited in the resonator.

The invention is described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawing, an electromechanical resonator 10 is shown. Such a resonator can be used either as an electromechanical filter, or as a frequency determining device in an oscillator circuit. The resonator 10 is made of suitable magnetostrictive material such as Ni-Span C (an alloy comprising iron and nickel, and currently made by the International Nickel Co.) or nickel, and comprises a cylindrically shaped resonator element 11 having a first cylindrically shaped terminating element 12 axially mounted at one end and a second cylindrically shaped terminating element 13 axially mounted at the other end. The resonator element 11 and the terminating elements 12, 13 may either be made from a single piece of material or may be made separately from similar or different materials and assembled. The resonator element 11 has a length L2 and a diameter D2, the first terminating element 12 has a length L1 and a diameter D1, and the second terminating element 13 has a length 1.3 and a diameter D3.

An input coil 14 and an output coil 15 are magnetostrictively coupled to the resonator element 11 near its aired States Patent center. For optimum operation, the input and output coils 14, 15 are placed as close to the center of the resonator element 11 as practical without introducing significant direct coupling between the coils 14, 15. Although not shown, capacitors may be connected in parallel with the coils 14, 15 to provide circuits at the input and output coils 14, 15 that are parallel resonant at the mid band frequency of the resonator It). If desired, the input and output coils 14, 15 may be shielded from each other by a magnetic shield 16 shown in section between the input and output coils 14, 15. The input and output coils 14, 15 are coupled to the resonator element 11 near its center since the center is an area of high stress. The resonator 10 can be mounted or supported at the midpoint of the resonator element 11 (which is an area of low motion), such as by the magnetic shield 16. If the resonator i is to be operated in the torsional mode, circular bias may be supplied by passing a direct current through the resonator 16 between its ends. If the resonator 10 retains enough residual bias (that is, becomes permanently biased), the current need not be maintained. If the resonator 16 is to be operated in the longitudinal mode, longitudinal bias may be supplied by a direct current in the input and output coils 14, 15, or by magnets 17, 18 (indicated in dashed lines) positioned on opposite sides of the shield 16 and adjacent to the resonator element 11 in the vicinity of the input and output coils 14, 15 respectively.

In accordance with the invention, the dimensions of the resonator 10 must satisfy the following relation:

Z sin 0 cos 0 cos 9 +Z cos 0; sin 6 cos 6 Z Z Z cos 6 cos 0 $111 0 sin 0; sm 0 em 0 0 3 In the relation Z1 is the characteristic impedance (i. e. the ratio of stress to motion for an infinitely long, lossless material) of the first terminating element 12, Z2 is the characteristic impedance of the resonator element 11, and

where f is the mid-band frequency of the resonator, L1, L2, and L3 are the lengths previously defined, and v is the velocity of propagation in the material used in the resonator for the particular mode of vibration being used.

For a resonator made from one type of material and operating in the longitudial mode,

where D1, D2, and D3 are the diameters previously defined, p is the mass density of the material used in the resonator, and G is the modulus of shear of the material used in the resonator. it will be noted that the characteristic impedances of the elements of a resonator operating in the torsional mode may be varied by varying 3 the diameters of the elements. The impedances may also be varied'by using different materials in the elements, thus varying their mass densities and their moduli of shear.

For a resonator made from one type of material and operating in the longitudinal mode, Z Z pv Z pv and Z3= Z pv where p is the mass density of the material used in the resonator, and v is the longitudinal velocity of propagation for the material used in the resonator. It will be noted that the characteristic impedances of the elements of such a filter may be varied by using different materials A f nrm,

in the above relation, 1 and v are the frequency and velocity previously defined, and L is the length of the resonator el ment. For a resonator operating in the torsional mode where air is the diameter of the terminating elements and (12 is the diameter of the resonator element. For a resonator operating in the longitudinal mode,

where all and d2 are the diameters just defined.

In designing this type of resonator, it is generally desirable to fix the overall length of the resonator element and the terminating element. Then, knowing the desired mid-band or resonant frequency of the resonator and the constants of the material being used in the resonator, the

required diameter ratio may be computed. As an example, it is assumed that aresonator is to have a resonant frequency of 5 kilocycles, an overall length of l.2 inches, and is to vibrate in the torsional mode. Also, it is arsurned that tl e resonator is to be made of nickel which has a velocity of propagation of 119,250 inches per secend in the torsional mode. If the length of the resonator element is assumed to be twice as great as the length of the individual terminating elements, then which by transposing becomes anvni= f It the assumed values are substituted in this relation, then By definition,

If dz is made some practical value to permit its manufacture, say 0.1 inch, then d1 should be made 0.356 inch.

A resonator constructed in accordance with the above example has a .pass hand between the 3 db points of approximately 2 or 3 cycles at the resonant frequency. If desired, the Q of the material may be lowered by mechanically damping the resonator at the ends of the terminating elements, or electrically damping the resonator by inserting a resistor in parallel with-each of the coils 14, 15.

in addition, to being very small and compact, resonators constructed in accordance with the invention have other advantages. Their mid-band frequencies may be varied as much as 50 kilocycles by changing their diameter ratios, which may be any value. In addition, because of a phase shift that occurs in the region where the diameters change, these resonators do not have higher harmonically related response frequencies as do conventional low frequency resonators. However, if aparticular response is desired, the fundamental response frequency and the next higher response frequency may be set at any desired non-integral ratio within the range of the resonator.

I claim:

1. An electromechanical resonator, comprising at least one resonator element terminated at each end thereof and having dimensions that satisfy the relations:

Z sin 0 cos 0 cos 93+Z cos 61 sin 0 cos 0 Z cos 0 cost); sin 6 sin 0 sin 0 sin 0 0 3 21rfL 9 2 H1rfL and where Z1 and Z3 are the characteristic impedances of the Z sin ti -cos 02 cos 0 +Z cos 0, sin 0 cos 0 sin 0; sin '6; sin 0 0 1 21rfL 62 27i'fL2 and Ba ZriLg where Z1 and Z3 are the characteristic impedances of said first and second terminating elements respectively, Z2 is the characteristic impedance of said resonator element, L and L3 are the lengths of said first and second terminating elements respectively, L2 is the length of said resonator element, 1 is the mid-band frequency of said resonator, and v is the velocity of propagation in said resonator for the type of vibration excited therein.

3. A torsionally vibrating electromechanical resonator, comprising a cylindrically magnetostrictive resonator element having a first cylindrical terminating element at one end thereof and a second cylindrical terminating element at the other end thereof, said elements being made of the same material and having dimensions that satisfy the relations:

Z sin 9 nos 6 cos +Z cos 0; sin 6 cos 0 where D1 is the diameter of said first terminating element, D2 is the diameter of said resonator element, D3 is the diameter of said second terminating element, p is the mass density of the material in said resonator, G is the modulus of shear of said first terminating element, G2 is the modulus of shear of said resonator element, G3 is the modulus of shear of said second terminating element, L1 is the length of said first terminating element, L2 is the length of said resonator element, L3 is the length of said second terminating element, 1 is the mid-band frequency of said resonator, and v is the velocity of propagation in said material for the torsional mode of vibration.

4. A longitudinally vibrating electrochemical resonator, comprising a cylindrical magnetostrictive resonator element having a first cylindrical terminating element at one end thereof and a second cylindrical terminating element at the other end thereof, said elements being made of the same material and having dimensions that satisfy the relations:

Z1 sin 9 cos 6 cos 0 +Z cos 01 sin 0 cos 0 and 21rfL Where p is the mass density of said material in said resonator, f is the mid-band frequency of said filter, L1 is the length of said first terminating element, L2 is the length of said resonator element, L3 is the length of said second terminating element, and v is the velocity of propagation in said material for the longitudinal mode of vibration.

5. A torsionally vibrating electromechanical resonator, comprising a cylindrical magnetostrictive resonator element of length L and diameter dz and having first and second cylindrical terminating elements of substantially equal lengths L/ 2 and equal diameters (/1 respectively at each end thereof, said elements being made of the same material and having dimensions that satisfy the relations:

and

where f is the mid-band frequency of said resonator, and v is the velocity of propagation in said resonator for the longitudinal mode of vibration.

7. An electromechanical resonator, comprising a cylindrical magnetostrictive resonator element of length L and diameter d2 and having first and second cylindrical terminating elements of substantially equal lengths L/2 and equal diameters d1 respectively at each end thereof, said elements being made of the same material and having dimensions that satisfy the relations:

Where 1 is the mid-band frequency of said resonator,

v is the velocity of propagation in said resonator for the type of vibration excited therein, 11 is two when said resonator operates in the longitudinal mode of vibration,

and n is four when said resonator operates in the torsional mode of vibration, means for supporting said resonator element at its center, and input and output coils positioned in energy transfer relation to said resonator elements adjacent said supporting means and oppositely disposed relative thereto.

and

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,202,391 Mason May 28, 1940 2,231,404 Blackman et al Feb. 11, 1941 

